Free Italian for Beginners by Kristin Harmel Page B

do.”
    “Thursday?” Becky said, still staring at me. “But that’s, like, two days from now.”
    I nodded. “Blame Kris for that,” I said. “She found me a cheap last-minute ticket. But it’s probably better. It won’t be enough
     time to talk myself out of it, will it?”
    “That’s great,” Jay said, nodding. “Italy. Wow.”
    “But that’s really sudden, Cat,” Becky said, laying a hand on his arm to quiet him. “I mean, are you sure about this?”
    I glanced at my father and then back at her. “I thought this was your idea,” I said to her.
    “Well, yeah,” she said. “But I didn’t think you’d actually
do
it. You never do anything.”
    Uncomfortable silence settled over us for a moment. My father cleared his throat. “Well, she’s doing this, and I think it’s
     wonderful.”
    “Thanks,” I said softly, feeling suddenly uncertain. Becky was right, wasn’t she? This was completely out of character for
     me, completely foolish. My heart started to sink. But then she clapped her hands together and smiled at me.
    “You’re right,” she said. “Totally right. It sounds super fun. I’m just jealous I can’t go.”
    “Where are you staying?” Jay asked.
    “I don’t want to spend a fortune, but I want to be in a decent, safe place,” I said. “There’s actually a great little hotel
     near the train station where rooms are about seventy-five dollars a night, which is really reasonable for Rome. With all the
     taxes and everything, it comes out to about twenty-five hundred for the month.”
    Becky whistled, long and low. “Whoa,” she said. “That’s a ton of money. That’s, like, twice what our honeymoon cost.”
    “Yeah, well, I’ll be gone for four weeks,” I said. “It’s actually not that bad for that amount of time, I think.”
    “You have that kind of money?” she asked.
    I shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation. I talked about other people’s money all day long but hated talking
     about my own. “I’ll manage,” I said. I shot my dad a weak smile. “Plus, I’ve been told that’s what credit cards are for.”
    “Wow,” Becky said. Then she smiled. “Well. Good for you.” She paused and added, “So, are you going to call that guy? What’s
     his name? Francisco?”
    I swallowed. “Francesco,” I corrected. “And yes. I mean, I’ve e-mailed him already.”
    For the second time that night, Becky’s jaw literally dropped. “You did? That’s so unlike you.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m trying to step out of my comfort zone a little more, you know?”
    “Well, wow,” Becky said. She shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
    “I do,” my father said firmly. “I’m proud of you, honey. You’re going to have a great time.” He raised his coffee mug. “To
     Cat!” he said.
    “To Cat,” Becky and Jay echoed as all four of us clinked mugs.
    By the next day at four, I was so excited I could hardly concentrate on my work. Kris kept assuring me that she’d be fine
     in my absence and that Puffer & Hamlin wouldn’t fall apart without me. I knew she was teasing me, but I still felt uneasy.
     I’d never left for more than a few days since I’d started working here. What if one of my clients needed me? What if some
     disaster happened when I was gone, and I wasn’t here to fix it?
    “We can always reach you by e-mail,” Kris soothed with an amused expression on her face. “And since you also have three hundred
     capable coworkers, I have the feeling that someone here will be able to solve any problem that comes up.”
    “ But—”
    “No buts,” Kris said firmly. “Seriously. Just go. Stop worrying. Have a good time for once in your life.”
    I avoided two more cell calls from Michael that day and deleted the messages he’d left without listening to them. There was
     a sliver of me that wanted to tell him that I was going to Italy, but I knew I shouldn’t even be thinking about him still.
     I called the cell phone company